Vessel of Honour

The women stooped down to pick up the vessel She was happy to carry the vessel to the well in town, for two reasons -one great, one lesser. First because her family needed water and secondly because this vessel had been specially made for the purpose. It was a vessel of honour. It had been beautifully made by the potter because it would be seen in public and would be an advertisement of his handiwork.

2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour.

Every great house in Bible days had possibly vessels of gold and silver but certainly of wood and clay. Without doubt in those times (and still today in the Middle East where people have no power or running water) every house had two vessels that stood by the front door.

Those vessels were literally called and still are in many places the vessel of honour and the vessel of dishonour.

The vessel of honour was the vessel that they would take every day, to the fountain to be filled with fresh water. This was collected for the family to drink and so visitors could be offered water when they arrived.

According to the custom of the day, people that the woman met along the way could also ask for a drink from the vessel if they were thirsty. Because of Eastern hospitality they would not be refused – as Jesus did when He asked the woman of Samaria for a drink.

The dishonourable vessel however, stayed in the house and into this vessel they would put any left over water from drinking cups or old water that had lost its freshness or had been ruined by dirt or insects. Over the days the dregs built up in the bottom of the vessel. So while the vessel of honour was constantly refreshed at eth well, the vessel of dishonour slowly filled up with unusable and foul water until it was eventually tipped out on the garden.

2Ti 2:21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified and useful for the Master.

Obviously this is an object lesson for all of us as we choose to be vessels of honour which are continuously taken to the well to receive fresh water rather than remain a vessel of dishonour, which has nothing to give and only receives unwanted stale water.

The great “Potter” has made us for the purpose of carrying His water of Life. Through His gift of righteousness God is now able and pleased to dwell within us.

God looked for the day when He could dwell inside His people. To wear us, as His garment and walk in us, into our world. The Old Testament states that the Spirit clothed Gideon or even that God clothed himself with Gideon.

Friends, we are made to be constantly at the well of grace receiving the Life giving Water that can be poured out to family and to thirsty people. By flowing through us He changes your world; really His world.

It doesn’t matter that when you come to the well your vessel is empty. It is meant to be empty, because it is not the vessel that has the Life it is the treasure that He puts within. The excellency of the power is of Him. The very reason for our hollowness is so the Treasure may live within. Lets not leave home till our vessel has been to the well!